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Ask HN: How can you trust non open source, third party email clients?

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Re: Ask HN: How can you trust non open source, third party email clients?

#11

Post by nvr219 »

bogdweller wrote: post #10
bhhaskin wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both Outlook and Gmail are closed source, third party email clients. You might be able to peak at the front end, but you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. Sure, from a security stand point you are most likely fine for most use cases, but Gmail dose scan your emails for advertising targeting reason.

Thought I read they stopped that recently. I still wouldn't trust them though.

I think they don't do it (or don't do it as much) for paying customers (G Suite) and the recent thing was including G Suite for Nonprofits/Education in that group.

Re: Ask HN: How can you trust non open source, third party email clients?

#12

Post by hdhzy »

gumby wrote: post #7

How do you trust someone else to manage your mail service? How do you trust every line of an open source package without auditing it yourself? In your hierarchy of risk/trust, this one is pretty small.

Exactly this. If one doesn't audit and build the software yourself they can't be sure what they are getting (remember we're still far away from reproducible builds for everything).

Re: Ask HN: How can you trust non open source, third party email clients?

#14

Post by davelnewton »

nvr219 wrote: post #9
bhhaskin wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both Outlook and Gmail are closed source, third party email clients. You might be able to peak at the front end, but you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. Sure, from a security stand point you are most likely fine for most use cases, but Gmail dose scan your emails for advertising targeting reason.

How is Outlook third party? First party = me Second party = Microsoft Same with gmail client.

No, first party is you, second party is the person you're talking to. They're a man in the middle. They have access to your contacts, your emails, everything--they're a third party in the middle of your comms.

Re: Ask HN: How can you trust non open source, third party email clients?

#15

Post by nvr219 »

davelnewton wrote: post #14
nvr219 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is Outlook third party? First party = me Second party = Microsoft Same with gmail client.

No, first party is you, second party is the person you're talking to. They're a man in the middle. They have access to your contacts, your emails, everything--they're a third party in the middle of your comms.

OK so I guess since I use third party email servers this question doesn't really apply to me. I will say when I have sensitive data that needs to be shared via email I use PGP but other than that I have enough trust in Microsoft and Google... Misplaced? Maybe.

Re: Ask HN: How can you trust non open source, third party email clients?

#16

Post by davelnewton »

nvr219 wrote: post #15
davelnewton wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, first party is you, second party is the person you're talking to. They're a man in the middle. They have access to your contacts, your emails, everything--they're a third party in the middle of your comms.

OK so I guess since I use third party email servers this question doesn't really apply to me. I will say when I have sensitive data that needs to be shared via email I use PGP but other than that I have enough trust in Microsoft and Google... Misplaced? Maybe.

My point was less about whether or not they should be trusted, but that unless you're running your own email server, it's a third party, by definition :)
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